Centrifugal casting machine



Aprlf'28, P925. Y

' w..J. LANGsToN l CENTRIFUGAL CASTING MACHINE Filed sept. 16,1922 5 sheets-snet 1 v April 2s, 1925. 1,535,610

w, J. LANGs'roN GENTRIFUGAL CASTING vMQHINE Filedsept. 16, 1922. I 5 sheets-sheet 2 April 28, 1925.

w. v.1. L'ANGsToN CENTRIFUGAL CASTINGMAGHINE Filed Sept. 16 1922 3' Sheets-Sheet 5 /fv VEN 70E v MATE/1J magro/y.

' trough can be cleaned directly after or dur- Patemed Apr. 2s, 1925.

I1,535,610 UNITED STATES ;PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER J'. IANGSTON, OF THREE RIVERS, QUEBEC, CANADA.

CENTBIICUGAL CASTING MACHINE.

Application led September 16, 1922. Serial No. 588,629.

To all/whom t may concern: y

Be it known that 1,-WALTER J. LANGSTON, a subject of the King of Great- Britain, and resident of Three Rivers, in the Province of Quebec and Dominion of Canada," have invented certain new and useful Improve-LY` mentsin Centrifugal Casting Machines, of which the following is a full, clear,-and ex- 'act description. a y This invention relates to improvements in rotary casting machines and the'object of the invention is to provide an improved type of machine for casting pipes, tubes or the like,v when the article is off considerable length compared with its outside diameter and wall thickness.

In rotary casting 'machines in use at the present time the metal is poured from one end of the machine into a trough, and from thence into a rotating mould through a spout.- at the other end of the .said trough. This VtroughI is positioned so that it pours the metal on to the side ofthe' mould. In some cases, in casting elongated annular articles the trough, or the mould, or both, move aX- ially with the mould. lThe metal is thrown against the [mould and fed in spiral'ribbon form from t-he yspout and the centrifugal speed of the mould is utilized for spreading the metal evenly, making the pipe or "annu: lar article of even thickness.

This method is in some respects unsatisfactory as it relies o n the centrifugal action for spreading the metal to be cast. This action does not ensure the fusing together of the edges of the ribbon to form a pipe of uniform thickness. Trouble is also encountered in metal/cooling in the trough and thus l -formingobstructions in thel trough. If the metal can be fed into t-he mould in the forni of a segment and the feed so arrangedthat the two adjacent edges of the segment-oven lap and fuse together to give an'evenly dis tributed layer of metal, it is obvious that au improvement in casting pipes will be achieved. It is also obvious that if the ing the operation of the apparatus v.the efli` ciency of the apparatus will be increased.

In .my invention the molten metal is delivered tojthe machine 'in a. ladlefitted-with a valve adapted to be controlled to regulate the flow or fee'd.- The ladle is placed over a spout which leads into a troughwhich feeds the metal into a rotating mould. The spo-utA by., its particular construction cleans the ing mould.

travelling trough as it travels from end to end of the rotating mould. The spout also provides for a regular pressure ou the feed and thereby ensures a regular iow of metal into the mould. 'The How of metal is such that metal Vis delivered in segmental form, that is with a heavy feed in the centre of the' pouring/and 'a lighter feed on the outside edges. The speed of the spout is so arranged that the thinedges of one layer overlap the thin edges of the next layer, fuse together and form' a. layer `of even thickness. The end'of the trough is formed or shaped to obtain this result.

Referring to the drawings;

'Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus showing the rotating mould and the feeding mechanism.

`Figure' 2 is a cross sectional view of the trough. v`

Figure 3 isa fragmentary elevation of the trough.

Figure 4 `is a fragmentary plan of thev .trough showing the end of the trough cut to ensure an even feed. Y

Figure 5 is a view showing the spout, the

trough and a sectional elevation of theI mould with a pipe being cast.A

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the feeding mechanism.' Y

Figure 7 is an end'elevation of the rotat- Referring more particularly to the drawings, 12 designates a valve which can be operated by a handle 13 for regulating the feed vlfrom a ladle 11. The ladle 11 is placed on the frame ofthemachine 14 and is held in position by the metalbands 15 mounted on the frame 14 and riveted thereto, to-

gether with a circular strap 16 riveted to the ladle. A.` spout 17 is usedv for feeding the Vmetal into the travelling trough 18.

.The end of saidv spout is sha-pcd to fit into the inside Iof. the trough and isof such shape that 1n passing along the trough it cleans it and leaves aneven surface behind it. Guide 4pulleys 19 and a guide 2O riveted or bolted to the frame 14 are provided to ensure even and efficient working of the trough 18. A cooling space 21 is provided in the trough. The construction may be'made as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4, that is, a pipe split at the centre the one half being placed inside the other. and the sides welded, sealed, riveted or fused together forming a trough of crescent. section `with an air space 2l between the Illu outer surface of one half and the inner surface of the other, or it may be made in east form. Referring to Figure 4, the end of the trough 43 is out at an angle of about 45 to give a heavy feed at the centre of-the cut and a light feed at its edges. The feed is so arranged' that, for one revolution of the rotating mould, the travelling trough moves through a distance to allow the thin edges of the feed to overlap and fuse tos gether and thus give an even feed. On the lower side of the trough a rack 22 is cut or fitted to gear with a pinion 23 which carries the trough in or out according to requirements. A train of gears 24, 25, 26 and 27 mounted on the shafts 28 and 29 revolving in suitable bearing bolted to the frame 14, and operated by a motor 30 is used for operating the trough within the mould. A friction clutch 31 operated by a handle 32 may be provided to ensurel easy engagement and operation of the said gears. The frame 14 can be mounted on a truck 33, so that the machine can be moved rapidly and conveniently from one mould to the other on the wheels 34. The mould 35 rests on the rollers 36 which are mounted on a frame 37. The mould is rotated by a motor 38 driving a pair of gear wheels 39. The geared wheels 39 drive the rollers 36 mounted on and keyed to the shafts 40 revolving in the journal bearing 41 bolted to the frame 37. One of the gears is mounted on and keyed to the driving shaft 40.

Figure 5 shows a partly cast pipe 42 in the mould 35.

'Ihe operation of the machine is as follows. The molten metal is delivered into the machine in the ladle 11. The valve 12 is opened by mining the handle 13 and the meta-l flowsinto the spout 17 and from thence into the trough 18. The trough 18 at the beginning of the process is placed as far into the mould as required and immediately pouring takes place the mould 35 is rotated and the trough 18 is gradually withdrawn at a speed necessary to produce a pipe of re quired thickness.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is In a rotary casting machine, the combination of a rotary mould, a pouring trough, means for inserting the trough in said mould and then gradually withdrawing the mould, said trough having a canal open at botu ends and a cooling chamber situated below the canal and being equipped with a pouring end bevelled and thereby adapted to feed the metal to the lowest part of the mould.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER J. LANGSTON. 

